Life-saving vehicle



( No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. W. B. B-EAL.

LIFE SAVING VEHICLE.

Patented Aug. 22, 1893.

rm/ENTER; @if

QN@ Mode.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W. B. BEAL.

LIFE SAVING VEHICLE.

No. 503,572. Patented Aug. 22, 1893. y y

17E- 4- WTN 55555 lNvi-:NTER:

Uurrnn lVELCOME B. BEAL, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

LlFE-SAVING VEHICLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 503,572, dated August22, 1893.

Application tiled February 27, 1893. Serial No. 463,824. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that LVVELGOME B. BEAL, of Boston, in the county of Suffolkand State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Life-Saving Vehicles, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in life saving vehiclesfor use of fire departments in catching persons jumping or falling fromburning buildings, the object being to provide a vehicle which willreceive a falling body without injury tothe saine, and which will alsoserve as an ambulance for conveying disabled persons.

The accompanying drawings illustrate a construction by which theinvention may be carried out.

Figure l shows a side elevation of the vehicle. Fig. 2 shows an end viewof the same. Fig. 3 shows a top view. Fig. 4 shows a crosssection withthe netsupports'spread. Fig. 5 shows a similar view with the netsupports standing vertically.

A suitable frame, 0 constituting the bed of the vehicle is mounted onwheels, d', in any suitable manner and a number of standards, b, arepivoted between side-bars of the frame in bearings, b', supported onsaid side-bars. These standards are pivoted so as to move in thedirection of width of the vehicle, and an equal number of them areplaced on each side of the vehicle, and they support sheets of flexiblematerial shown in the present instance as nets, c, and, c. The net, c,is attached to the upper ends of the standards and extends acrossbetween the same, while the net, c', is similarly supported by thestandards below the net, o. The standards extend below their pivots andtheir lower ends are connected by chains, d, or other iiexibleconnections with a shaft, e, extending lengthwise of the vehicle andsupported in bearings, e', on the under side of the bed, o. A crank, f,is connected with the said shaft, e, through gearing, f', f2, and uponturning said crank the shaft is turned. The turning of the shaft willcause the chains, d, to wind drawn taut. Vhen thus adj usted the vehiclemay be brought into a position to receive a falling body, and the net,c, will aord a yielding receptacle for such body so that no injury willbe sustained thereby. Should the falling body break through the net, c,it will be caught by the net, c.

It will be evident that the apparatus could be used to great advantageat fires, in saving lives of persons jumping or falling from burningbuildings.

Ledges, g, are suitably supported on the outer sides of the standards,and afford footing for firemen or other attendants as illustrated inFig. l.

Upon turning back the crank, f, the standards may be brought to avertical position as illustrated in Fig. 5, and secured in such positionby chains, h, or other suitable devices, by which the standards may beconnected together to prevent outward movement. When the standards arethus held in a vertical position, the nets, c, and o', sag and may beemployed as stretchers on which to convey persons, the vehicle thusanswering the purpose of an ambulance.

Another advantage of the pivoted standards is that they allow of acontraction in width of the vehicle so that it occupies less space, andis less likely to encounter obstructions in transit.

Havingthus described myinvention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A life-saving vehicle comprising Vin its construction, a bed orbase-frame, standards pivotally connected with said bed and movable inthe direction of width of the vehicle, a sheet of IieXible materialextending from side to side of the vehicle and the length thereof andsupported by the standards, and means for spreading and contracting thelatter, substantially as described.

2. A life-saving vehicle comprising in its construction, a bed orbase-frame, standards pivotally connected with said bed and movable inthe direction of width of the vehicle, a sheet of fiexible materialextending from side to side of the vehicle and the length thereof andsupported by the standards, aro- IOO tatable shaft located between thestandards, and flexible connections between the latter and said shaft,Yand arranged to wind on the shaft.

5 3. A life-saving Vehicle comprising in its construction, a bed orbase-frame, standards pivotally connected with-said bed and movable inthe direction of Width of the Vehicle, ledges supported in the outersides of said Io standards, a sheet of flexible material sup`

